Railroad-crossing



- (No Model.) 2 ShetsSheet 1.

A. J. MOXHAM. RAILROAD cnossmei No. 477,688. Patented June 28, 1892.

WITNESSES INVENT OR ATTORNEY 2 ShGetS-,-Sh88t 2. I A. J. MOXHAM.RAILROAD CROSSING.

Patented June 28, 1892.

1N VENT OR ATTORNEY m: uanms arns cm, vnoro-uwm, wAsnmm-on. u. c.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES i-ra UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, OF J OHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,688, dated June 28,1892. Application filed December 5, 1890. Serial No; 373,662. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MoXHAM, of J ohnstown,in the county ofCambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulBailroadCrossing, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated inthe following specification and accompanying drawings.

The objects of this invention are to provide a strong, safe, and durablecrossing for streetcars over or across steam-railroad tracks, whichshall at the same time require no disturbance of thesteam-railroad'track, and also to provide a strong and efficient guardfor wheels passing over the last-mentioned track.

The invention will first be described in detail, and then particularlyset forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general View in plan of thecrossing. Fig. 2 shows in detail, enlarged, one of the corners marked Lin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section taken through Fig. 2 at lineY Y. Fig. I

4 shows a vertical section taken through Fig. 2 at line X X, looking tothe left. Fig. 5 is a view in plan, partly in section, of certaindetails, hereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a vertical section takenthrough the line Z Z of Fig. 5.

In said figures the several parts are respectively indicated byreference-letters, as follows:

The crossing consists of two outer portions A A and one center portionB. In each of said outer portions two pieces of girder guard-rail a areused, seated on chairs 0, mounted on cross-ties T. Said rails abut aZ-shaped bar E and may be connected to said bar either by thesplice-bars e, as shown, or by being directly welded thereto. Inthelatter case of course said splice-bars can be dispensed with. Thehead portions of the rails a a can either run through the Z-bar E and benested therein by cutting a pocket through the head thereof, as shown atthe point L in the several figures, or, if preferred, the rails a can bemerely abutted to said bar by either cutting them off square at theirends or to fit the side of said bar which they abut. Should the rails abe nested through, the head and guard portions thereof should be planed0%, as shown in elevation in Fig. 3, so that the Whole surface of thebar E is on one level, that level not being above the main-track rail D,but preferably a little below it, in order that the treads oflocomotive-wheels passing over the rails D may not ride on the crossing,said treads being wider than the heads of said rails. The guard portionsg of the rails a, are planed or otherwise cut away to a level with thehead portionj to the points h, in order that no obstruction maybeoffered to the passage of snow-plows, which are sometimes attached tolocomotives passing over the rails D of the steam-railroad track andoverhang said rails on either side.

The letters 0 0 indicate attached chocks between the Z-bars E and therails D, fitting into the concavity of the side of said rails, as shownin detail in Fig. 3. These ehocks are preferably attached directlyopposite the crossing-rails a a; but should said rails come opposite toa joint or splice-bar on the rails D said chocks should then be placedas near to this point as possible. Said chocks are attached to the barsE by the bolts 1', which bolts can also pass through the splice-bars cWhen said splice-bars are used to connect the rails a to the bar E. Byreferring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that said bar is provided with astout web thrown back by means of the overhanging head, which nearlyapproaches or may abut the rail D, the web being far enough back not tocome in contact with the spikes holding the rail D in place or thelowerflange of said rail. The lower portion of the bar E is provided with anoutwardly-projecting flange o, by means of which it is supported on theties T of the main track and which in its turn affords vertical supportto the guard-rails a. It will thus be evident that this Z-shaped barpossesses particular advantages.

Referring now to the portion of the crossing marked B, said portionconsists of two pieces of T-rail H H, parallel with the main rails D,between the crossing guard-rails F F, and curved beyond saidcrossing-rails to a common junction at the points J J, where they arereinforced by splice-bars 8. At the point where the guard-rails F crossthe rails '"D and the rails 11 II of the guard-piece.

H II are recessed to nest the heads of said guard-rails, though, ifdesired, thelatter could simply abut the rails H H at these points.

At the points marked C, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, between the rails H and D,are provided chocks similar in shape and purpose to the outside checks0; but on the opposite side removable chocks WV are provided between therails D and H. If the checks used on both sides were of the form of thechecks 0 G,it would be impossible to place the center portion 13 inposition without either removing the rails D or sliding the chocks infrom the ends. It would, however, be difficult to slide such chocks intoplace, and if a joint existed in the rail D it would be impossible toslide the chocks past said joint. This difficulty is overcome by the useof the removable chocks W, which are entered into the curved portion ofthe guard-piece H H and at the ends where easily accessible.

By referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the checks WV are providedwith a hollow interior to permit access to the bolts and nuts d d, whichsecure them to the web of the inner guard-piece II, splice-bars I) beingprovided on the other side of said web. It is obvious, however, thatsaid chocks instead of being made hollow, as shown, could'be made solidand provided with recesses to allow access to the nuts (Z. It will beobserved that the chocks WV are not bolted to the main rails D. By thisconstruction the inner part B can be laid between the main rails D,pushed into place with the attached chocks C bearing against the web ofone of the main rails D, and the removable chocks IV then slipped infrom either end and attached to the rails of the guard-piece II II at anaccessible point.

The purpose of the guard-piece II II is as follows: In practice there isconsiderable play in the trucks of steam-railroad cars passing over therails D, and consequent oscillation of the wheels from one side to theother. The bent ends of the guard-pieces II II offer to an approachingtrain something to guide its wheelsinto the groove between the mainrails In railroad-crossings as at present constructed it is customary touse two rails having their ends bent to act as a guard; but such railsso bent depend upon spikes to hold themin place. By uniting both railsinto one piece, as herein described, great constructive strength issecured and the whole interior portion 13 of the crossing takes theimpact of an approaching train instead of a portion thereof. This is animportant advantage, for it has been found extremely difficult to keepindependent guard-pieces in order. By the construction herein describedthe whole crossing can be made out of rolled or forged steel or othermetal and can be put in a steam-railroad track without the leastdisturbance of the latter. The rails shown in the street-railroad trackare what are well-known to the trade as girder guard-rails, but, ifdesired, any other suitable form of rail may be substituted therefor.

Having thus f ullydescribed my said invention, I claim- 1. In arailroad-crossing, guard-rails between the through-rails curved andunited at the ends into a guard-piece complete for either direction.

2. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with two crossing-rails, as FF, between the through-rails, a guard-piece composed of rails curved andunited at their ends into aguardpiece complete for either direction.

8. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with through and crossingrails, as DF, a guard-piece composed of rails curved and united at theirends into a guard-piece complete for either direction.

4. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with through and crossingrails, as D F, a guard-piece composed of rails curved and united attheir ends into a guard-piece complete for either direction, saidguard-piece being provided with checks between it and the through-rails.

5. In a railroad-crossing, a removable chock, as WV, having one straightand one curved face shaped respectively to lit the shapes of the railsand provided with a vertical recess or recesses for inserting andtightening up the bolts securing said check to one of said rails.

6. In a raiIroad-erossin g, a guard-piece composed of rails curved andunited at their ends to form the same, in combination with athrough-rail and a removable check, as W, having one straight and onecurved face and provided with a recess or recesses, for the purposes setforth.

7. In a railroad-crossing, a guard-piece provided with attached or fixedchecks and removable chocks, as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a railroad-crossing, a Z-shaped bar, as E, outside of thethrough-rail, for the purposes set forth.

9. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with two crossing-rails, as aa, a Z-shaped bar, as E, outside of the through-rail, for the purposesset forth.

10. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with two crossing-rails, asCt at, a Z-shaped bar, as E, outside of the through-rail, and chocks, asC, for the purposes set forth.

11. In a railroad-crossing, in combination with the through and crossingrails, Z-shaped bars, as E, outside of the through-rails, for thepurposes set forth.

12. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the through andcrossing rails, of Z- shapcd bars, as E, outside of the throughrails,and checks, as O, for the purposes set forth.

IIO

V 13. In a railroad-crossing,thecornbination, 1'5. In arailroad-crossing, the oornbination, with the through and crossingrails, of 2- with the through and crossing ralis, of Z- 10 shaped bars,as E, a curved guard-piece, and shaped bars, as E,a curved guard-piece,and

chooks, as O O. ohocks, as O G W.

14. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, ARTHUR J. MOXI-IAM. withthe through and crossing rails, of Z- Witnesses: shaped bars, as E, acurved guard-piece, and H. WV. SMITH,.

chocks, as O W. P. FITZPATRICK.

